Progressive Neuromuscular Scoliosis Secondary to Spinal Cord Injury in a Young Patient Treated With Nonfusion Anterior Scoliosis Correction

Children with spinal cord injuries often develop scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. Traditional surgery involves fusing the spine, limiting movement and growth. This report explores a newer, less invasive technique called anterior scoliosis correction (ASC). ASC uses a cord-screw construct to correct scoliosis without fusion, allowing for growth modulation. This case report presents the first application of ASC for neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS) secondary to spinal cord injury (SCI). An 11-year-old girl with scoliosis after a spinal cord injury was treated with ASC. Over three years, her spinal curve significantly improved, demonstrating the potential of ASC as a motion-preserving treatment option.

• 1
  ASC effectively corrected scoliosis in a skeletally immature patient with NMS secondary to SCI, with the curve improving from 60° to 7° over three years.
• 2
  The patient's pelvic obliquity corrected from 20° preoperatively to 0° at the final follow-up, indicating improved trunk balance and sitting posture.
• 3
  ASC preserved spinal motion and flexibility, allowing the patient to maintain independence in transfers, participate in physical therapy, and potentially benefit from future therapies.